Robots in Space
The History Press £20 HB
What lies under the icy moons of other planets? Is the landscape of Venus like a Garden of Eden or is it more of a hellscape? A few decades ago these questions fell into the realm of science fiction, but thanks to advances in technology, they can all be answered and even evidenced with colourful images. But do we know enough about the robotic explorers that have landed on Venus or dived into the atmosphere of Jupiter to find these answers? Space journalist Ezzy Pearson’s first book reveals the heroic story of the robotic planetary landers that have ventured beyond our own world’s safety.
“Every year, more and more spacecraft journey out into the void, heading off to another planet, moon, comet or asteroid.
Each new mission is another step forward in humankind’s push to explore the cosmos around us. And yet, the history of these robotic explorers often goes unremembered,” says the author at the start of the book.
Robots in Space: The Secret Lives of our Planetary Explorers is an excellent debut and a great example of how to tell the story of mechanical devices. The author illustrates space missions not only by explaining their journeys and targets, but also by talking about the people who made the missions a reality. The book’s unique angle is the way it combines the stories of success in space with mistakes that have always been present since humanity’s first steps towards the Space Age.
This is a very useful book that helps to reveal the ‘backstage’ activities of the Space Race in the 20th century, and it serves as a fascinating reminder about all the interesting craft that are journeying into space every day.
★★★★★
From the first time we looked up at the stars, the whole of humanity has been fundamentally linked to the Universe.
In The Human Cosmos: A Secret History of the Stars, Jo Marchant explores how our relationship with the stars has evolved and changed every aspect of our lives over the centuries. It journeys from Palaeolithic cave paintings, through our myths, ancient archaeological sites and the rise of religions. It goes on to explore our plotting of the stars and their movements, as well as the rise of science and our ability to probe the composition of the stars themselves and to venture out in search of life beyond our planet.
This fascinating book is meticulously researched and intelligently written. It covers many disciplines, from politics to art, navigation and circadian rhythms, astronomy, religion, biology, the meaning of time and of consciousness itself. It joins the dots to present the big picture of humanity’s place in the cosmos, the importance of reconnecting with the awe we feel when we look at the stars, and the dangers of cutting ourselves off from our link to the Universe.
I found myself making notes of things I wanted to explore further, and the extensive reference list has given me lots of scope to dig deeper. Along the way I would have liked to see a few illustrations and images to refer to, when describing particular archaeological sites, art or cave paintings, but in closing I cannot recommend this book highly enough.
★★★★★
£10 • 01353 776199 •
Price Tel
Royal Museums Greenwich
Supplier https://shop.rmg.co.uk
Navigate nebulae, constellations and planets with this mug that features a map of the London Underground with station names replaced by celestial features.